Figure 3. Histological analysis of zonal lengths in explanted tibiae.

Midsagittal sections of tibiae were stained with Alcian blue and Nuclear fast red directly after explantation or after culture up to seven days under either hypoxic or normoxic conditions (A). Image analysis was used to measure the sizes of the different cartilaginous zones (B) and the surface of the cartilaginous area (C). (N = 15). * = P<0.05 compared to freshly isolated tibiae. # = P<0.05 compared to normoxic condition of the same time point.